


The Smallest City in the World

by avesnongrata



Category: Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Rock Band, F/F, Girl Band
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-09
Updated: 2016-12-08
Packaged: 2018-08-13 22:12:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 18,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7987981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avesnongrata/pseuds/avesnongrata
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The members of Captain Marvel, an indie pop/rock band based in NYC, are hard at work trying to get their big break. With their new keyboardist Sharon on board, the band is sounding better than ever. Just when they've finally started taking the music scene by storm, lead singer Carol's penchant for matchmaking sets in motion a chain of events that could lead Captain Marvel to stardom - or send them the way of Fleetwood Mac.</p>
<p>Featuring Carol Danvers, Jessica Drew, Natasha Romanoff, and Sharon Carter as the members of Captain Marvel, this story links the women of the Marvel comics universe together in the band AU/lesbian romance novel we all deserve.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome aboard! This is a long, ongoing story I intend to update about every Sunday or so. There will be many more characters and relationships than are currently in the tags, but until AO3 comes up with a way to separate the main tags from the background tags, I'll only include the ones that feature most prominently in the story.
> 
> As usual, feedback is much appreciated! Enjoy!

**Brooklyn Bridge Park, NY  
** **August**

 

"You're on in five, ladies."

The man in the headset only stood around long enough to wither under Jessica's glare before slinking off. The moment he was gone, she turned her ire back on Carol.

"Perfect. What the hell are we gonna do?"

Carol propped a hand on her hip and returned the scowl. "We've got to go on. There's no other option. This is the best chance we're going to get. I can't believe you'd go and—"

"Me?" Jess scoffed. "This isn't my fault! None of this would have happened if you'd left well enough alone, Danvers."

"How is this my fault? You're the one who went picking a fight right before the show," Carol shot back, "After I explicitly warned you not to."

"Okay, so maybe I overreacted," Jess conceded, hands still balled into fists at her sides, "but that doesn't change the fact that you set this whole damned thing in motion." 

Carol glanced apprehensively at the enormous, roiling crowd visible through the curtains. Any minute now, the stage lights would snap on in full force, and Captain Marvel would take the stage in front of their biggest packed house of their lives. Or rather, half of them would. Hell, Carol would play the show her damned self if she had to.

No. Two of her band mates were already MIA; there's no way she'd leave Jess behind as well.

She took a deep breath and dragged a hand through her hair. "Jess, look. I'm sorry, okay? I didn't think—"

"No, you didn't, did you?" Jess snapped. "Not everyone is as cavalier about relationships as you are. You misread the situation, and people got hurt. Just like I told you they would."

Carol's shoulders slumped. "You're right. I didn't think things through, but seriously, how could I have foreseen _this_?"

"Two minutes," called the stage manager from well out of arm's reach.

"Shit," Jess muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose. "What are we gonna do?"


	2. Chapter 2

 

**Eight Months Earlier**

 

"So there I am," Carol huffed, curling up to reach past her bent knees, "in my underwear—" _huff_ "—eating pancakes—" _huff_ "—with his roommates—" she gritted her teeth and pulled herself up one last time, "—at 10 o'clock on a Thursday morning. God, I love winter break," she finished with a laugh. 

At her feet, Maria chuckled. "How in the hell do you keep ending up in these situations?"

"I talk to people." Carol smirked, wiping a few blonde strands of hair away from her sweaty forehead. "It’s not some big mystery. If you’re open with people - if you put yourself out there - you’d be surprised what can happen."

Maria rolled her eyes and shoved Carol's shoulder back towards the mat. "Give me ten more."

"Oh, come on, you’re killing me!"

"You’ll thank me the next time some woman you’ve talked into going home with you is fawning over your six-pack, Danvers. Ten more."

"Yessir, Commander," Carol grumbled in defeat. With an over-exaggerated sigh, she launched into another set of sit ups under Maria's imperious gaze.  

"I suppose I’m out of practice," Maria mused, once Carol had come up for air again.

"That’s no excuse. What about Abigail?"

Maria responded with a firm shake of her head. "I don’t date my employees."

Carol tried again, pointing across the room to an attractive, tattooed woman who was currently reigning supreme over the squats rack. "What about her?"  

"Or my clients. While I admit that severely limits my dating options—"

"Hill, this is New York. You need to get out more if the only people you interact with are employees and clients."

Maria's lip curled. "I’d rather spend what pitifully little free time I have doing pretty much anything other than striking out a bar. All the gay bars are full of college students anyway. I always feel ancient when I go."

Carol's face lit up as inspiration struck. "Then let me set you up with someone. I have a friend I think you’d be great with."

Maria hesitated for just a moment too long. "I don’t know, Carol—"

"Come on. Are you afraid it’ll be a disaster, or are you afraid you might actually like her?" Carol teased. She'd known Maria long enough to know just how effective such a tactic could be.

"I’m not afraid of blind dates," Maria scoffed, subconsciously squaring off her shoulders.

"Could’ve fooled me." Carol grinned. "Come on, Hill. Don’t make me call you a chicken in front of all your un-dateable employees and clients."

Maria heaved an exasperated sigh. "Fine. You can give her my number."

"Oh, no. You don’t get off that easy. I’ll give you her number, and you can ask her out yourself like a grown-ass woman."

"Carol…"

"Trust me. You’ll thank me when Marina is fawning over _your_ six pack."

Maria's brow furrowed. "Marina, huh?"

Carol waved her hand dismissively. "I know, I know, your names are similar. Big fucking deal. You’re perfect for each other."

It was becoming abundantly clear that Carol was not going to take 'no' for an answer. Though, if she was honest, Maria wasn't actually opposed to the idea of being set up. It's not like she was making any progress finding someone on her own, and she was more than tired of her current dry spell.

"Fine," Maria grumbled, "but you’re giving me one more set for being a pain in my ass."

"Ugh, you're the worst!" Carol pretended to complain, but the glint in her eye gave her away as she flopped back onto the mat.

"Debatable," Maria shot back, momentarily distracted by the young woman leaving the locker rooms. "Hey, Mac. Go warm up: four rounds of jump rope, then shadow box until I’m done here. I’ll be right over."

The young woman headed for the mirrored wall at the far corner of the gym with a nodded "sure" and "hey, Carol" as an afterthought.

Carol waved to her briefly at the height of her final sit up.

Maria's eyebrow rose in surprise. "Wait, how do you know America?"

"She's part of the Big Buddies program at PS 616. She's helped out with my 1st graders the past 3 years or so," Carol explained, readjusting the band of her sports bra absentmindedly.

"Huh. Small world." Maria nodded, impressed. "She doesn't seem the type."

"She wasn't, at first," Carol agreed as she gathered her water bottle and towel and got to her feet, "but it looks good on a college application, and she got the hang of it pretty quickly."

"Good for her. I'd better not keep her waiting, huh?"

"Nope. I should get going, too." Carol tossed her towel over her shoulder and extended a hand, which Maria shook. "Thanks for kicking my ass, Coach. When I see you next week, you'd better tell me all about how your date with Marina went."

Maria rolled her eyes again. "Fine. Now get out of here before I change my mind."

With a wave, Carol disappeared into the locker room, and Maria headed over to where America was warming up. Over the course of the last few years, Maria had helped America become an impressive young middleweight boxer. These days, most of her clients were more interested in spin classes and cardio kickboxing, so her sessions training America were the highlight of her week. America worked hard, and Maria always enjoyed calling bag drills for her and holding mitts while America practiced her hooks and uppercuts.

After nearly an hour and a half, Maria had almost forgotten about her earlier conversation with Carol. True to her word, though, when Maria checked her phone, Carol had texted her a phone number, along with "Marina Renner" and a winking emoji. She stared down the text for a long several seconds before hitting "add to contacts."

Much to her surprise, her phone made an irritated sound of protest.

> C _ontact already exists. Update existing contact?_

Confused, Maria set her bag down on the locker room bench and tentatively hit _Yes_. The screen changed to display the contact info for _Marina Renner (Kit's Mom)_ filed under _Flerkens Roster_.

Of course! Now that she'd made the connection, Maria vaguely remembered a quiet, auburn-haired woman picking her daughter up from soccer practice last fall. Kit was one of the most charismatic 7 year olds Maria had ever encountered. She wasn't a particularly gifted soccer player, from what Maria could remember, but she was sweet and energetic and got along well with the rest of the team. Maria hadn't had much opportunity to interact with the parents, though, with the exception of the handful who were particularly invested in making sure their daughters became the next Abby Wambach. No wonder she didn't particularly remember Kit's mother.

_Her mother. Oh god._

Maria stuffed her phone into her pocket and shut her locker with probably more force than was necessary. Pepper was going to have a field day over this.


	3. Chapter 3

Sharon hummed quietly to herself as she scanned the crowd of employees coming and going on their lunch break. The lobby of Stark Tower was always a blur of activity at this time of day, but her attention was focused more on her upcoming audition than on what might be concealed under a bulky winter coat or inside an oversized designer handbag. The state-of-the-art metal detectors did much of that job for her, and the ID scan system did most of the rest. These days her presence was more for show than for force, but considering the size of her paychecks, she didn't often complain.

Working a corporate security job wasn't nearly as exciting as working for the NYPD. Still, Sharon mused, she was much less likely to get shot in this line of work. She scratched absentmindedly at the scar on her thigh, concealed under the crisp fabric of her uniform. Working for Stark Industries had plenty of other perks, of course, but the not getting shot part was nice.

A flash of red hair in the corner of Sharon's eye caught her attention. Upon eager inspection, though, it belonged to a woman she didn't recognize. Sharon's shoulders slumped. It was nearly one o'clock; Natasha must've decided to take a later lunch break than usual. They'd only known each other for a few months, but after they'd hit it off over few drinks at the Stark Industries Halloween party, Natasha started making a habit of visiting Sharon on her lunch break. Sharon considered their midday chats to be the highlight of her work day. Having Natasha around to talk to – and flirt with – helped take the edge off the monotony and made her transition into her new job that much easier.

With a sigh, Sharon went back to drumming out imaginary chords on the desk in front of her. It might not be the same as practicing on an actual keyboard, but it was better than nothing, and it certainly passed the time.

As she rounded off the second verse and headed into the chorus, a woman approached the guard stand, balancing a stack of takeout containers and coffees. Sharon stilled her hands and straightened up, snapping into Professional Mode.

"Can I help you?"

"I'm Maria Hill." She set the cups and containers on the counter so she could fish in her pocket for her ID. "I'm meeting Pepper Potts for lunch. She's expecting me."

Sharon compared the name on the ID to the list of names on the screen in front of her and double checked to make sure the photo matched as well. Seeing as it was a crappy DMV photo, it didn't exactly do her justice, but that jawline was unmistakable. Satisfied, Sharon slid her ID along with a visitor's pass across the counter. "Here you are, Ms. Hill. Enjoy your lunch."

"Thanks." Maria stashed it back in her wallet.

Sharon's polite smile widened into a grin as she finally spotted Natasha headed towards the guard stand through the throng of people. Much as she wanted to, she couldn't exactly wave to her while she was assisting a visitor. She silently willed Maria to fasten the visitor's badge to her jacket a little more quickly.

Once her badge was in place, Maria scooped up the takeout containers and gave Sharon a small nod. She turned on her heel, only to walk directly into Natasha, who had come up behind her.

If this had been a movie, Sharon was sure there would be a record scratch and a sudden switch to slow motion. She instinctively reached out, too far away to do anything useful as the coffee cups wobbled precariously. To her amazement, Natasha's hands shot out and steadied them before they had the chance to do anything more than slosh a few drops onto her sleeve.

"Sorry about that," said Natasha once she was sure nothing was going to topple or spill.

"It's my fault; I wasn't paying attention to where I was going." Maria blinked down at her. Their eyes met, and for an instant neither of them moved.

Finally, Maria shuffled the containers into one hand and fished a napkin out of the stack with the other. "Sorry about your coat," she winced, handing it over.

"Don't worry about it."

With a quick, distracted nod, Maria beat a hasty retreat towards the elevator bay. Natasha watched her go, a small frown on her face.

"You okay, Nat?" Sharon called.

"Hmm?" Natasha turned to face Sharon, blinking like she'd forgotten where she was for a moment. "Oh. Yeah, I'm okay."

"Good." Sharon smiled kindly. She knew better than to take it personally when Natasha seemed far away. When they'd first met, Sharon had assumed that Natasha had the worst case of Resting Bitch Face she'd ever seen. She projected an air of untouchability - prickly and aloof - which Sharon found almost as alluring as she did intimidating. She didn't smile often, and when she did, Sharon could tell it was a mask designed to maintain some distance between the world and whatever heavy thoughts were always haunting Natasha's eyes. Little by little, though, the occasional smile Natasha offered her became a little more genuine. It was more than enough to make Sharon a little lightheaded whenever she saw her.

In fact, Sharon could already feel the flutter starting up in the pit of her stomach, and Natasha had barely been there two minutes. She had it _bad_.

"How's your day going?" she asked, feeling a little lame.

Natasha didn't seem to mind. She propped an elbow on the guard stand wall and gave a small shrug. "Fine. I got those training videos reformatted and uploaded. Here's hoping no one asks me to change them after lunch." Natasha dabbed at the wet spot on her cuff with the napkin. "How are things down here at the castle gate?"

"Boring." A grin lit Sharon's face at Natasha's usual euphemism for her job.

Natasha winced in sympathy. "Did you spend your morning playing air keyboard again?"

"How did you guess?" said Sharon wryly.

Natasha's answering chuckle set a hint of color rising to Sharon's cheeks. "Don't worry so much. You're going to ace this audition, Carol and Jess are going to love you, and then we're all going to be rock stars."

"Just like that, huh?"

"Well, maybe there will be some minor steps in between." Natasha conceded dryly. "Details. Anyway, I've gotta run; I'm starving. Want me to bring you anything?"

Sharon shook her head. "Nah, I'm good. Save your money for a post-audition celebratory drink."

"That's the spirit." Natasha winked and rapped her knuckles on the counter. "I'll see you tonight, okay?"

"Okay," Sharon echoed as Natasha headed for the door, leaving Sharon alone with her air keyboard and a smitten smile on her face.


	4. Chapter 4

When Maria reached the twelfth floor, Pepper waved her into her office without looking up from her computer screen.

"... No, I'm looking at the numbers you sent me last week. That's not going to cut it—" Pepper pressed her knuckles against her lips in frustration. "—I understand that, but I need… Listen, just get him on the phone and tell him that if he doesn't come through with this, then… Exactly. Thanks, Jan. I'll send you those files this afternoon… You too. Bye."

Pepper disconnected the call and tossed her earpiece onto her desk.

Maria handed her a cup of coffee and set the takeout on the desk between them. "Problems?"

"Only always," Pepper huffed. "It's like half my job is explaining to men that I do actually know how to do my job. Assholes." She took a breath and a long sip of her coffee. "Not to mention my assistant is driving me up the wall."

Maria winced. "What did he screw up this time?"

Pepper pursed her lips. "It's not so much that he screws things up anymore. He just doesn't get it, you know? I don't need him to anticipate my every whim, of course, but it'd be nice if he could anticipate a few of them every now and again."

"That sounds frustrating. I would have fired him by now."

Pepper laughed and shook her head. "But then I'd need to train a new one."

"Good point."

"Anyway, I'm sure you don't want to hear about my mediocre assistant," Pepper said, reaching for her lunch. "How are things at S.H.I.E.L.D?"

"Fine." Maria took an evasive sip of her coffee.

Pepper looked up from unpacking her pad see ew and arched an eyebrow. "Uh oh. What have you gotten yourself into this time, Maria?"

Occasionally, Maria wished Pepper wasn't half as perceptive as she actually was. Her ability to see right through Maria's facades could be infuriating. Then again, sometimes it helped to just get to the point.

"Carol is trying to set me up with a friend of hers. She gave me her number this morning."

Pepper blinked in surprise. "That doesn't sound so bad. Have you called her yet?"

"Not yet, no." Maria picked at her lunch. "I'm not sure whether I want to."

"Why not? When was the last time you actually went on a date?"

Maria scrunched up her face in an attempt to evade the question.

"Exactly. I know you've been lonely for a long time—"

"I'm not lonely..." Maria grumbled.

"You're lonely. There's nothing wrong with that. Maria, this is me, remember? I know exactly what it's like to have no life outside of work."

"At least you get to date your boss," Maria smirked.

"We're not dating. I don't know what we're doing, but I don't think dating is the word for it." Pepper's ears tinged a bright pink, flustered but still pleased with herself. "That's beside the point. We're talking about your love life, not mine. Why are you freaking out about one little blind date?"

Maria gnawed on her lower lip. "It's not really a blind date. Turns out I kind of know her already; her kid was on my soccer team last fall."

"Her kid?" Pepper's brow creased. "How do you feel about that?"

Maria shot her a frown. "Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Don't go into armchair psychologist mode with me. I'm already over-analyzing this as it is."

"Is the kid a deal breaker?" Pepper continued, willfully ignoring Maria's attempt to look offended.

"No? I don't know." Maria sighed. "I like kids. Kit in particular is a good kid. I just never pictured myself with kids."

Pepper shot Maria her patented _you're being an idiot_ look. "Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself? Do you know anything about this woman—"

"Marina."

"Do you know anything about Marina besides the fact that her daughter plays soccer?"

Maria tried her best not to look sheepish. "Not really, no."

"And do you trust Carol to set you up with someone you know nothing about?"

Maria took a moment to consider. Carol was her client, but she'd worked with her for a few years now. They weren't friends, per se, but she liked Carol well enough. Besides, she did have an admirable gift for connecting with people. Maybe she should give her the benefit of the doubt.

"Yeah," she decided. "I think I do."

"Then what's the worst that could happen?" Pepper challenged.

"We'll have nothing in common, it'll be a total disaster, and I'll be single forever?"

"Exactly," Pepper laughed good-naturedly. "It sounds to me like you want to go out with her, but you're doing that thing you do where you'd rather sabotage yourself than actually be happy."

Maria shrugged, begrudgingly conceding her point. Pepper was always good at picking situations apart and coming up with reasonable solutions, especially when Maria needed bailing out. It was amazing they'd put up with each other all these years.

"So you're going to ask her out?"

"I guess it's worth a shot."


	5. Chapter 5

The sun had just barely set by the time Sharon piled her equipment into the elevator and punched the button for the floor Natasha had given her. Her stomach lurched as the elevator began its ascent. She took a deep breath to steady herself.

She was ready – or at least as ready as she was ever going to be.

Her hand shook a little as she knocked on the door with the tarnished brass 'C' on it. She counted to five, to six, to seven before the door swung open. Natasha, uncharacteristically energetic, greeted her with a lopsided smile that did nothing to calm the flutter in her stomach.

"Hey, you. Are you ready?" she asked in a low voice.

Sharon nodded. "I think so."

"You'll be great." Natasha ushered her inside with a reassuring hand on the small of her back.

"You must be Sharon," someone called from the tangle of amps and cords on the other side of the room. The voice filled up the space, bright and welcoming and enthusiastic. A second later, its owner extracted herself from setting up and turned to offer Sharon a grin that was just as bright. "I'm Carol. That's Jessica," she added, gesturing to the woman messing with the drum set opposite her.

Sharon couldn't help but smile back. "Sharon Carter. Nice to meet you. Can I just…?" Sharon asked, already moving to set her bag down in the corner.

"Go for it," Jess nodded. She twirled a stick around her fingers as her eyes appraised Sharon closely.

"We were just getting set up," Carol cut in. "Go ahead and get warmed up, and we'll start whenever you're ready, okay?"

"Sure."

Sharon made quick work getting her keyboard set up and rattling out a few scales, trying to ignore the prickle of unfamiliar eyes on her. It helped that the others were busy seeing to their own instruments, so they weren't actually paying her much attention anyway. They weren't ignoring her, exactly, only being courteous enough to let her get warmed up without scrutiny.

_Natasha's been friends and bandmates with these people for years_ , Sharon reminded herself. _They probably don't bite._

As if reading her mind, Natasha caught her eye and gave her a reassuring nod. It was just the thing to bolster Sharon's nerves and finally quiet the flutter in her gut. "Okay. I'm ready whenever you are."

"Cool. Nat says you've got something prepared?" Carol asked.

"Yeah, she and I practiced a little."

Jess shot Carol an inscrutable look, but Carol didn't seem to notice. "Great! Why don't you start; Jess and I will listen and join in later?"

"Sounds good." Sharon squeezed her hands into fists, then released them, stretching her fingers out over the keys. "Ready?"

Natasha and Carol nodded, and Jess grinned. "Show us what you've got!"

"Alright then!"

Without further hesitation, Sharon tapped out a note to set her pitch, counted in under her breath, and began the song. Her voice was clear and precise, perfectly on key and impressively strong. Her hands joined in a moment later with upbeat chords, the steady tempo betraying none of her earlier nerves. Any lingering hints of nervousness melted away as soon as Natasha caught her eye and came in on guitar, just like they'd practiced so many times over the last week. By the time they made it to the first chorus and split into two well-balanced parts, Sharon's heart was pounding with excitement.

The grin lighting Sharon's face as she sang was infectious. Carol couldn't help grinning back, especially after Jess picked up a simple beat in the next verse. The energy built and built, feeling more and more like the band Carol envisioned the moment she'd picked up her first guitar. She laughed enthusiastically as Sharon and Natasha launched into the break. Their call-and-response showed off both their skill and their obvious chemistry as performers.

Carol shot Jess a questioning glance, which Jess returned with a grin and an extra-exuberant drum riff going into the final chorus. Almost involuntarily, Carol added a third part to Sharon and Natasha's vocals, and by the time they struck the final chord Carol had already made up her mind.

She hardly waited for Sharon's fingers to leave the keys before she slugged her amicably on the shoulder. "Sharon, that was awesome!"

"Yeah?" Sharon said, looking exhilarated.

"Hell yeah!" Jess echoed. "I think you'll fit right in."

Carol snatched her guitar up off its stand. "What do you say we play a few more, maybe try out some of our songs? If you can keep up with us, I think this could be the beginning of the next great chapter in Captain Marvel history."

Nat elbowed Sharon in the ribs. "See? What did I tell you?"

"Thanks," Sharon said, trying not to look too pleased with herself - and failing spectacularly. "Let's do it."

"Great! Why don't we play some of our old stuff?" Jess suggested. "The chord progressions are a little simpler. You'll pick them up quickly."

Carol nodded in agreement. "Nat, Jess, just run 'em like we always do. Sharon, follow me on the chords and double the harmonies with Nat whenever you can. We'll flesh out your part later; I just want to get you up to speed for now."

"Sounds good to me," Sharon agreed, her grin still plastered across her face.

Jess rapped her sticks on the rim of her snare. "Are we gonna play, or are we just gonna talk about it all night?"

Nat smirked. "Carol, you'd better count us off before Jess does it for you."

"Alright, alright," Carol said mock-begrudgingly, adjusting her guitar strap and cracking her knuckles. "One two three FOUR!"

 

* * *

 

It was a full two hours and one broken drumstick later when the band decided to call it quits for the evening. Their final song dissolved into exuberant laughter as Sharon nailed a particularly masterful counterpoint to Carol's solo.

"Yeah, it's official," Carol beamed. "Sharon Carter, welcome to Captain Marvel!"

Beside her, Jessica and Natasha erupted into applause, bringing the triumphant smile blazing back across Sharon's face. "Nat owes me a drink," she pointed out with a wink.

Jess scoffed indignantly. "What about the rest of us, Romanoff?"

Natasha rolled her eyes. "Yeah, okay, the first round is on me. I suppose you deserve it after that improv drum solo. I thought my heart had stopped."

Carol slung her arm around Jessica's shoulders, nearly knocking her off balance. "Don't say shit like that to her; it'll go to her head."

"Too late." Jess shoved her right back.

Sharon laughed as she watched the two of them bicker amicably the whole way through breaking down and storing the equipment, even more so at Natasha's faux-exasperated eye rolls. Those three had such history together. It would have been intimidating to think she might fit in with them, had they all not been so welcoming.

The four of them made their way outside, the biting night air a welcome change from the overheated rehearsal space. The bar a few short blocks away was surprisingly energetic for a dive bar on a weeknight. Carol craned her neck and quickly scanned the room.

"Far end of the bar, across from the dartboard," she called over the noise.

Natasha took her cue and started wading through the crowd, blazing a path and pulling Sharon along behind her by the hem of her shirt. Jessica and Carol followed close behind.

The bartender greeted them as soon as they reached the empty spot Carol had scoped out from the door. "Hey guys! The usual?"

Sharon raised an eyebrow at Natasha. "You have a usual?"

"We're here a lot," Natasha shrugged and leaned her elbows on the bar. Her hip brushed against Sharon's, the contact just enough to make her blush.

"We play here a lot, too," Carol clarified, then turned back to the bar. "We're gonna have to update our usual, Priya. There are four of us now."

The bartender flashed her a thumbs up. "So you're the new Bobbi, huh? Congratulations! What can I get you?"

"Thanks." Sharon leaned on the bar herself, tentatively maintaining contact with the warmth of Natasha's thigh. She was so amazed that Natasha wasn't moving away that she nearly forgot the bartender was still waiting for a response. Her blush flared even brighter. "Jack and coke?"

"Coming right up." She returned a minute later with four glasses and slid the one without a stir stick to Carol with a nod.

Natasha slid a twenty across the bar, then pressed Sharon's drink into her hand as Carol raised her glass. Jessica and Natasha quickly followed suit.

"To Sharon," Carol began, the glint in her eyes belying the solemnity in her voice. "Welcome aboard. The four of us are going to do great things together. I can feel it."

"Hear, hear!" Jess extended her glass for the others to toast.

The clink of glass against glass was immensely satisfying, as was the burn of bourbon as Sharon took a large gulp of her drink. She hoped the heat of it would cover for her blush from all the attention, not to mention the distraction of having Natasha so close to her. As if reading her mind, Natasha's eyes met hers. Sharon took another sip, just in case.

"So," Carol said, interrupting Sharon's train of thought. "You work with Nat?"

"Well, we work in the same building," Sharon clarified. "I work security, and she works in web production."

"Mostly I bother her on my lunch breaks," Natasha smirked.

"Oh, come on, it's no bother," Sharon began before judiciously taking another sip of her drink and changing the topic. "How did the three of you end up playing together?"

"We met in college. Freshman orientation," said Carol. "Jess and I were roommates then, too."

"Carol and Nat both ended up picking the same song to perform for an open mic night," Jess chuckled with the air of someone who'd perfected the telling of this story over many years, "but Nat signed up first. I'm pretty sure anyone else would have ended up bitter rivals, but Carol just walked right up to her and proposed they try it as a duet instead."

"I didn't expect her to go with it, really," Carol confided. "We'd never played together before, we only had about forty minutes to work out the arrangement, so we winged it."

Natasha chuckled. "Turns out we didn't suck."

"Didn't suck?" Jessica echoed incredulously. "You two were the best act all night!"

"We didn't suck," Carol concurred. "So we kept playing together, along with Jess and a rotating roster of a few other girls, none of whom stayed for very long."

Sharon, enrapt, took another sip of her drink. "How'd you come up with the name?"

Carol chuckled. "It wasn't easy. 'Captain Marvel' is a somewhat recent revelation. We started as the Marvel Girls, then Ms. Marvel and the Marvel Girls—"

"Then just plain Marvel," Natasha added.

"Then Mouse Rat—"

"Shut up, Jess." Carol laughed and slugged her on the arm. "We went back to Ms. Marvel for a while, and then a few years ago we decided it was time for a promotion. We've been Captain Marvel ever since."

"Quite the legacy," Sharon said, impressed.

"Damn right!" Carol beamed. "And we're only getting better. Speaking of which: I'm gonna see if Frank is around. I want to make sure we're still booked for a week from Friday." With that, she set off wading through the crowd toward the door marked _Employees Only_."

Sharon nearly spluttered around a mouthful of bourbon and coke. "A week from Friday?"

"If that's too soon, we can always play without you and you can jump in on our next one," Jess offered sympathetically. "No pressure. It's just that the more we play, the bigger our following."

"And the higher our chances of getting discovered," said Natasha.

Sharon looked back and forth between the two of them, then downed the last of her drink and set the glass back down on the bar with a thud. "I'll be ready by then."

"That's the spirit!" Jess crowed.

Natasha shot Sharon a half-smirk and clapped an arm around her shoulders, bringing the blush back to Sharon's cheeks. "Another round?" she offered.

Sharon grinned. "Why not?"

"You buying, Red?" Jess asked hopefully.

Natasha let out a beleaguered sigh. "Fine, but you have to tell us all about your cousin's wedding. Did you get to ride an elephant like you were hoping?"

"No," Jess pouted, "but I've got mehndi pretty much all over my body, so I'm calling it a win." She stretched her arms out over the bar and wriggled her fingers, showing off the intricate, swirling designs.

Over the course of the next drink, she regaled them with stories of her extended family's antics, complete with cluelessly heterosexual cousin and disapproving old woman impressions. By the end of their third drinks, Jess excused herself to the restroom - and to look for Carol, who still hadn't resurfaced - leaving Natasha and Sharon together at the bar.

For a long few minutes neither one of them spoke, the silence not so much uncomfortable as anticipatory.

Sharon was the first to break it. "Thanks again for inviting me to audition. This is the first time I've actually had people to hang out with since I left the force."

Natasha took her hand and gave it a small squeeze. "I'm glad you took me up on it. You're really good. It's going to be fun having you in the band."

"I definitely prefer talking to you at the bar rather than across the security desk," Sharon smirked. Her eyes met Natasha's, and though the heat started creeping back into the tips of her ears, she didn't look away. "We should do this more often."

"You're right. We should," Natasha mused.

Emboldened by the bourbon and the post-audition adrenaline, Sharon decided to take her chances. Her hands drifted to Natasha's waist and she leaned in to kiss her lightly, just a cool press of lips.

Natasha returned the kiss only briefly before pulling away, her hand pushing gently against Sharon's shoulder.

Sharon's heart plummeted. "I'm sorry, I didn't—" she began, but Natasha cut her off.

"No, it's alright. I don't mind. It's just—"

"I shouldn't have done that," Sharon insisted. "I thought there was something here, but maybe I misread it."

Natasha bit her lip and leaned back against the bar with a sigh. "You didn't misread anything. I just… Well, it's complicated. I'm not really in a position to get involved with anyone right now. No offense," she finished somewhat sheepishly.

"Okay," Sharon said, stung despite herself. "It's okay. I don't want to pressure you."

Natasha gave her a small, grateful smile. "I really like you, Sharon. I do. I just think we should stick to friends for now."

"I'd like that," said Sharon. She meant it honestly, even if her smile was a little forced. As the silence between them returned, she cleared her throat and changed the topic, awkwardness be damned. "Where do you think Carol disappeared to?"

Natasha visibly relaxed, glad for something else to talk about. "She's probably in the back, charming the pants off of someone."

Sharon cocked an amused eyebrow. "You think so?"

"Sure. The only time Carol leaves a bar by herself is when she wants to. It's pretty impressive."

As if on cue, Carol chose that moment to sidle back over to the bar. "Sorry, I got waylaid. What'd I miss?"

"Nothing," Sharon answered a little too quickly, but if Carol noticed, she didn't show it.

She waved down the bartender for a soda refill, and Sharon caught a glimpse of the writing on the back of Carol's hand: Gamora, followed by what was unmistakably a phone number. She glanced covertly at Natasha, whose face very clearly said _I told you so_ for the briefest of flashes before she turned back to Carol.

"Did you see Jess? She went looking for you," Natasha asked, her expression masterfully schooled into her usual inscrutable smirk.

"Yeah, I think she's stuck in the line for the bathroom. It looked pretty slow."

Natasha nodded and downed the remnants of her drink. "Will you tell her I said goodnight? I'm gonna take off."

"Already?" Carol pouted.

"Not all of our jobs give us time off around the holidays," Natasha reminded her with a chuckle.

"Touché."

"I'll walk you to the subway?" Sharon offered.

Natasha paused and glanced back at her over her shoulder, brow furrowed. Sharon's stomach knotted, afraid she'd overstepped.

"Yeah, okay." A small smile tugged at the corner of Natasha's lips.

Sharon's breath left her in a rush, and she returned the smile in kind. "Goodnight, Carol. Thanks again."

Carol waved them off and turned her attention back to people-watching. It wasn't long before Jess re-appeared, flopped melodramatically onto a bar stool, and flagged down the bartender for one more drink.

"That line was insane," she whined.

Carol laughed. "How'd you manage to escape with your life?"

"Used the men's room," Jess shrugged. "I don't understand why a dive bar would have gendered restrooms anyway." She paused and glanced around with a frown. "Did Natasha and Sharon leave?"

"Yeah, they have work in the morning."

Jess's frown deepened. "Did they seem weird to you?"

"What do you mean by weird?" Carol asked, eyes narrowing.

"I think I saw Sharon try to kiss Natasha."

Carol blinked in surprise. "Really? I thought it'd take her at least a little longer before she'd make a move. Good for her."

"No, Carol, not 'good for her'," said Jess, exasperated. "This could be another Bobbi fiasco all over again."

"Okay, first of all, the thing with Bobbi was not a fiasco," Carol argued, "and you know that had nothing to do with Natasha. Clint was just her roommate. It was Bobbi's choice to leave after their relationship fell apart."

"Maybe, but you know as well as I do that Natasha isn't exactly seaworthy when it comes to relationships right now, and—"

"And that is not her fault either," Carol cut her off with a pointed scowl.

"I know, I know," Jess conceded, having the decency to look a little ashamed of herself. "I just don't want anyone to get hurt, the band included. Do you think we should consider making a no fraternization rule?"

Carol snorted. "Jess, how much of a hypocrite would I be if I told people who they could or could not get involved with? They're both grown-ass adults. Whatever's going on - and we don't even know for sure there is anything going on - I'm sure they can handle it."

Jess shook her head with a resigned sigh, but she let the matter drop anyway. "I hope you're right."


	6. Chapter 6

Even though the coffee shop was only a few short blocks away from her apartment, Marina's cheeks were already raw with cold by the time she got there. She tugged her scarf even tighter as she tried to peer through the haze of condensation coating the insides of the windows. All she could make out was a mass of bodies, many more than were usually there on a weeknight.

Not exactly ideal for a first date setting.

She heaved a sigh and headed for the door. She figured she might as well try to claim a table inside where it was warm, rather than waiting for Maria out in the cold. Luckily a large group of people flocked outside once she pulled the door open, and a few more trickled out once she was inside, which was encouraging.

She stood on her toes and craned her neck, looking for a place to sit. It looked like maybe the far corner had some space, so she snaked her way through the scattered small tables. Two of the armchairs in the corner were mercifully vacant, and as she approached she realized why: the remnants of some sound equipment were still on the small raised platform that served as a stage for live music and open mic nights. They must’ve just finished. Hopefully the crowd would die down soon.

Marina slung her bag into one chair and sank into the other herself. As an afterthought, she fished her book out of her bag. She was too anxious and distracted to actually read any of it, of course, but its familiar weight in her lap was comforting. She thumbed the pages absentmindedly, scanning the crowd just in case her date was as habitually early as she was.

To her surprise, the woman gathering up the last of the sound equipment caught her eye.

"Natasha?"

The woman looked up warily, then smiled once she recognized Marina. "Hey, Marina. Haven’t seen you in a while."

"Sorry. End of the semester insanity," Marina offered by way of an explanation. She got up and offered Natasha a hug, made somewhat awkward the equipment slung over Natasha's arm.

"Does that mean you get a break for a while?" Natasha asked, readjusting the cables over one shoulder and picking up her guitar case.

"Sort of. It’s definitely quieter in the office over the break, so I’ll take it," Marina laughed. "Did you play tonight?"

"Some of my solo stuff, yeah."

Marina’s face fell. "I’m sorry. If I’d known, I’d have come earlier to hear you."

"Don’t worry about it," Natasha waved her off. "Are you coming to see Captain Marvel next week?"

"You’ve got a new member, right? Wouldn’t miss it!"

Natasha’s smirk widened into a smile. "I’ll make sure you’re on the list. Carol’s hoping to pack the place."

Marina bit her lip. "Can I get a plus one?" she asked tentatively.

"Oh?" Natasha prompted, raising a mischievous eyebrow.

Marina blushed. "I’m actually meeting a date here in a few minutes. Carol set us up, so I’m hoping it’ll go well."

"Good luck!" Natasha winked. "I’ll get out of your hair. Say hi to Kit for me?"

Marina nodded. "Thanks, Natasha. I’ll see you next week."

The anxious knot returned to Marina's stomach as she watched Natasha wrangle the last of her equipment and head for the door. A vaguely familiar woman held it open for her, then slipped into the shop. She scanned the room, presumably looking for Marina. Outside the door, Natasha set her guitar down long enough to shoot Marina a pointed smirk and a thumbs up before disappearing around the corner.

Marina tried not to blush too much as she rose from her chair and waved uncertainly. The woman smiled as she caught her eye and crossed the room with long legged strides.

"Marina?"

Marina nodded up at her. "Hi, Maria."

Even though Maria looked more like the kind of person who was more used to handshakes, she accepted Marina’s hug seamlessly. The muscles of her back were momentarily distracting under Marina’s hands. She knew this woman was athletic, but _goodness_.

"It’s good to see you again. I’m sorry I didn’t make the connection at first."

"Don’t be. I didn’t make the connection either until I noticed your number was already in my phone," Maria chuckled. "Have you been waiting long?"

"Not at all. I don’t even have a drink yet."

Maria pulled her wallet out of her back pocket and cocked her thumb in the direction of the counter. "What can I get you?"

"Jasmine tea? Thank you."

Maria flashed her a dazzling smile. "I’ll be right back."

Marina sank back into her chair and had just long enough to compose herself before Maria returned with their drinks. She set Marina’s mug on the small table between them and settled into the chair Marina's bag had occupied only moments before.

"So. First date small talk." Maria prompted with a laugh. It was good to know the awkwardness was not lost on her, either.

Marina tried to take a sip of her tea, only to nearly burn her tongue. Sheepishly, she banished the mug back to the table for the time being. "What do you do when you’re not trying to teach 2nd graders to play soccer?"

"I run a gym."

"SHIELD Fitness, right?" Marina asked, feeling a little bashful for not remembering sooner. "You sponsored the team as well as coached."

Maria nodded over the rim of her own mug. "That’s right. We sponsor a few different sports teams each year, but I only coach soccer anymore. These days my training schedule is too busy to accommodate more than one season of volunteer work."

"Is that how you know Carol?" Marina propped her chin on her hand, leaning against the armrest.

"She’s one of my clients, yes. How do you know Carol?"

"My daughter was in her first grade class two years ago," Marina explained. "Parent-teacher conferences are a weird way to make friends, but that’s the truth of it."

"I’ll take your word for it." Maria’s smile never wavered, but she shifted her weight in her chair.

Marina’s face fell. "Look, I know being a mom is not the biggest point in my favor when it comes to dating. I won’t be offended if it’s a deal breaker for you."

"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude!" Immediately Maria leaned forward, her expression endearingly earnest, even if Marina wasn’t quite convinced. "I promise it’s not a deal breaker. I wouldn’t be here if it was. I’ll be honest, though, this is new territory for me."

Marina gave a small, resigned shrug. "It’s pretty much par for the course for me."

"How does this usually go for you?" Maria prompted, her voice soft.

Marina studied her for a long moment, considering her answer. "One of two ways: the people I go out with either bolt as soon as they find out I have a kid-" she took a sip of her tea, trying not to sound too bitter, "-or they pretend to be on board long enough to convince themselves that it’s too much pressure. Then they bolt."

"I’m sorry," Maria said with an exasperated sigh. "Dating as an adult is such bullshit."

It was enough to coax a chuckle from Marina. "It really is. It was so much easier in college. What the hell happened?"

"I have no idea," Maria laughed, starting to relax again. "How about this: why don’t you tell me what you’re looking for, and I’ll tell you what I’m looking for, and we’ll go from there? There’s no point in stringing each other along just for the hell of it. We’re either a good match or we’re not."

Marina eyed her warily. "You think it’s that simple?"

"I don’t see why not," Maria said with a shrug. She still seemed uncertain, but she was making a good show of pretending not to be. Better than the few other failed dates Marina had had over the past year, at least.

"Okay. I guess it’s worth a shot," Marina conceded. She took a steadying breath before launching into the usual spiel. "Cards on the table: yes, I have an 8 year old daughter. She knows I’m dating, and she tells me she’s fine with it. You don’t need to have a relationship with her if you don’t want to. We’d be able to spend more time together if you didn’t mind having her around, of course, but I don’t expect anything from you when it comes to her. She’s my responsibility. I’m certainly not looking for anyone to help me raise her. I’ve done just fine on my own her whole life; there’s no reason to change that now."

Maria blinked at her. "Wait, you’ve raised Kit entirely on your own?"

"Okay, that’s not quite true. My parents were very supportive, and my friends are like aunts to her," said Marina, "but that just proves my point. I’m really not looking for another parent for Kit."

Maria nodded thoughtfully for a moment, weighing her words. "What about her father? If you don’t mind my asking."

Marina scoffed, her derision worn smooth over the years. "Out of the picture. Kit’s never even met him. I haven’t seen him since the day I told him I was pregnant."

"Asshole." The way Maria growls the word, her hackles raised, endears her to Marina all the more.

"Yeah, he was a real class act," Marina said dryly. "I really dodged a bullet with him, all things considered. I had to give up law school, but Kit is much more than worth it. I wouldn’t do a damned thing differently." As she spoke, she watched a small smile creep across Maria’s face. Marina blushed and adjusted her glasses on the scrunched bridge of her nose. "How’s that for first date small talk?"

Maria chuckled warmly. "It’s not what I was expecting. I’ll give you that."

"I mean it: I won’t blame you if you don’t want to see me again after tonight," Marina insisted, steeling herself for Maria to take her up on it.

To her surprise, Maria leaned forward and made piercing eye contact with her. "Marina, we've spent all of what, ten minutes getting to know each other? It's a little early to pull the plug, don't you think? This is already going better than the last few dates I've been on, believe it or not. If you’re willing to be this open and honest with me when you hardly know me, I think we should give this a shot."

"I’d like that," Marina breathed, suddenly weightless with relief.

Maria smirked. "Do you want to change the topic now?"

"God, yes!"

The two of them laughed the remaining tension out of the air between them.

Maria composed herself and raked her hand through her short-cropped hair. "Okay, how about: do you think you’ll ever end up going back to law school?"

"Maybe someday," Marina nodded wistfully. "I work in the admissions office at Columbia Law right now. How’s that for irony?" 

Maria snorted. "I can’t really talk. I didn’t exactly end up where I thought I’d be either."

"What did you want to be when you grew up?" Marina asked, her eyes flashing.

"A soldier," Maria confided somewhat bashfully.

"Really?" Marina spluttered, trying to pretend she hadn’t just choked on her tea.

"Oh, yeah," Maria grinned. "16 year old Maria Hill was dead set on running away to join the army."

Marina laughed. "I’m guessing you didn’t."

"Nope."

"What happened?"

"Well, for starters my guidance counselor convinced me to shoot for West Point rather than just enlisting after graduation. I busted my ass for two years trying to be good enough to get in." Maria swirled her drink in the bottom of her cup. "Turns out it was good enough to get me into a few other schools, too. Even got scholarships to a few of them."

"What ended up changing your mind?" Marina asked, impressed.

Maria chuckled, looking far away for a moment. "I fell head over heels in love with a girl in my class the summer before my senior year."

"That’d do it." Marina nodded sagely.

"She left me flat pretty much the moment we both left for college, of course," Maria gave a self-deprecating shrug, "but at least she helped me figure some things out before I made the mistake of joining the military."

"Funny how things work out, isn’t it?"

"It really is," Maria agreed.

The two of them spent the next hour lost in comfortable conversation. It turned out that the book Marina had brought with her was one of Maria's recent favorites, and she was all too willing to share her opinions about the upcoming movie adaptation. Now that they'd drifted away from weightier topics, Maria was remarkably easy to talk to. Her dry sense of humor kept taking Marina by surprise, and she listened – actually _listened_ – to Marina's rambling anecdotes. They shared another drink apiece and swapped recommendations for books, movies, the best Jamaican food in Harlem, until the café began to empty around them.

Eventually they lapsed into silence, eyes locked. Marina finally broke it with a reluctant sigh. "I probably ought to get home. I promised the babysitter I wouldn’t be too late."

"That’s alright," Maria smiled, getting to her feet. "Do you want me to walk you home?"

Marina felt her cheeks start to warm again. "I’d like that. It isn’t too far."

True to her word, it took the two of them hardly any time to reach the front steps of her building. Marina fished in her bag, making a half-assed attempt to locate her keys.

"Thank you for asking me out tonight," she said quietly. "I had a really nice time."

Maria smiled down at her. "So did I. I’ll see you again soon?"

"I’d like that. What about next Friday?" Marina asked suddenly. She’d nearly forgotten. "Carol’s band is playing downtown, and I said I’d go."

Maria blinked in surprise, and for a moment Marina was sure she'd say no.

"Sure. Sounds like fun."

Marina beamed. "I’ll text you the details. Or I guess they’re on their website. Hell, Carol will probably tell you about it, too. She’s hoping they’ll sell out the space…" She trailed off as Maria chuckled and shifted closer, resting her hands on her waist.

The next thing Marina knew, Maria bent her head and kissed her lightly. It only lasted a second or two, and Marina was surprised to find herself a little disappointed when Maria took a respectful step back.

"Goodnight, Marina. I’ll see you next week."

"Goodnight," Marina echoed.

She managed to fish her keys out of her bag and let herself into the building without too much fumbling. With one last wave to Maria, the door shut behind her and she practically floated the rest of the way up to her apartment. Before she could even get her keys in her door, her text alert went off. She laughed to herself when she saw it was from Carol. That woman had to have some sort of sixth sense when it came to situations like this.

_\- so? how'd it go? ;)_

_\- Really well, I think._

_\- will there be a second date?_

Marina blushed again as she typed her response:

_\- Yes!_


	7. Chapter 7

"Are you sure I can't stay up and play video games with you and Kate?" Kit wheedled. She knew full well what the answer would be, but she had to ask just in case.

From the doorway, America stuck her tongue out at her. "You could if you wanted a new babysitter. You don't want me to get in trouble with your mom, do you?"

Kit made a show of sulking and pulling the covers up under her chin. "No. Goodnight, America."

"Goodnight, Trouble." America switched the lights off with a snap and pulled the bedroom door shut behind her.

In the living room, Kate hardly looked up from her game as she moved to make room for America between her back and the arm of the sofa. America settled into the space and pulled Kate halfway into her lap.

"Success?" Kate asked, leaning up to kiss America's neck briefly before returning to her game.

"Yep." America snaked her arm across Kate's belly and rested her chin on the top of her head. "She's gotta be the best kid I babysit."

Kate hummed in agreement, her thumbs still flying over the controller in her hands. "What time did Marina say she'd be home?"

"Around 11," said America.

With a quick glance at the clock, Kate paused her game. "Plenty of time to fool around, then." She set the controller on the coffee table and wriggled around on the sofa to position herself more deliberately in America's lap.

America slid her hand under the hem of her tank top with a wry smile. "Kit's probably still awake, you know."

"I can be quiet," Kate smirked.

America rolled her eyes. "Wanna bet?"

"Hey!" Kate scoffed indignantly and slugged her on the shoulder. Her hands reached up to cup America's face as she kissed her.

America sighed contentedly as Kate nipped at her lower lip, and she answered with the scrape of her blunt nails against the skin of Kate's lower back. The heat building between the two of them quickly started to make her breathless. It always did, with Kate. After more than two years, she still got butterflies just thinking about her sometimes. The thought made her smile into the kiss.

"What is it?" Kate asked against America's mouth.

"Nothing," America shrugged. "I just love you."

"Nerd," Kate teased affectionately. "I love you, too." She balled her hands in the front of America's shirt and kissed the corner of her mouth, her cheek, her jaw.

America leaned into the touch of her lips, but as Kate began sucking on her pulse point, she reluctantly disentwined. "I'm never going to get my reading done if you keep that up."

"It's barely January," Kate argued, undeterred. "You have all of break to finish your reading list."

America frowned. "You know I don't just breeze through books the way you do. I have to write an essay on this shit, too. If I wait until the end of winter break to do it, I'll be screwed."

"I know, I know," Kate grumbled, finally stilling her hands. "I just I don't know why you care so much. You don't even like school."

"That doesn't matter," America scoffed. "What am I supposed to do without a college degree?"

"Whatever you want!" Kate fired back.

America crossed her arms across her chest. "You know that's not how it works. Not for me."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kate all but leapt out of her lap, her frown a mirror of America's stony expression.

America let out a frustrated breath. "Nothing, it's just… You could go to any school in the country. Hell, you could probably go anywhere in the world."

"That's not true," Kate argued, but America cut her off.

"Sure it is. You're an honors student without even trying. You've got connections out the ass. You're a goddamned violin prodigy—"

"I wouldn't say prodigy—"

"Please, princess," America said dryly. "No one can do what you do with a bow. You could get into any school you wanted, and you don't even care."

Kate had the decency to look a little ashamed of herself as she conceded the point.

America's eyes bore into Kate's, equal parts hurt and frustration. "You don't have to go to college if you don't want to. It's your life. But I have to go, and I have to bust my ass so I can get in."

"I know. I'm sorry," Kate rested her hand on America's tightly crossed forearms.

"It's alright," America sighed. "You drive me crazy sometimes, you know that?"

"Yeah, I know." Kate chewed on her bottom lip. "Am I at least worth it the rest of the time?"

"Come here." America finally uncrossed her arms and drew Kate back into her lap, tucking her securely under her chin. "Of course you are."

"I'll let you read your book," Kate mumbled into America's chest.

America chuckled and pressed a kiss to the top of Kate's head. "I'll make it up to you later, okay?"

"Deal," Kate agreed. She handed America her book and picked up her controller from the coffee table.

Two chapters and three side quests later, they were interrupted by the sound of keys scraping at the door. Kate reluctantly climbed out of America's lap and got to her feet just as Marina floated through the door.

"Oh, hello Kate," Marina said, sounding surprised to see her despite having given America free rein to invite her over whenever she babysat. "Hi America. Did Kit give you any trouble?"

America shook her head. "No, she was great, as usual. How was your date?"

Marina shot her a conspiratorial smirk brimming with excitement. "Are you available to watch Kit again next Friday?"

"That good, huh?" Kate laughed.

"That good," Marina beamed. "It was the best date I've been on in a long time. Thanks again for watching Kit. I'll send you the details about next week later, okay?"

America accepted the handful of bills Marina handed her and tucked them carefully into her back pocket. "Works for me. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, America. Good to see you, Kate." Marina waved the two of them out the door.

"She looked so happy," Kate sighed as they tromped down the steps. "How adorable."

"She really did," America agreed. "Want to hang out while I watch Kit next week, too?"

Kate made a show of deliberating her answer. "I dunno, are you gonna read your book the whole time?"

America scowled at her, but there was no heat behind it. "Watch it, Bishop."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," Kate said airily, kissing her on the cheek. "Want to get Chipotle on the way to the subway?"

"Are you paying?" America teased.

"Me?" Kate scoffed. "You're the one with a pocketful of cash."

America only raised an eyebrow at her.

"Fiiiiine, I'll pay," Kate grumbled. "You're lucky you're so hot."

America took Kate's hand with a grin as they set off down the block.


	8. Chapter 8

Maria's phone vibrated from the depths of her pocket. She was reluctant to move her hands from their warm haven, even to read what was most likely the latest in a week-long text conversation with Marina, but her curiosity eventually won out.  

_nearly there, sorry! I hope you haven't frozen to death yet_

Sure enough, Marina rounded the corner a few moments later, breath spilling out over her scarf like the smoke from the handful of people who had braved the cold for a cigarette.  

Marina's whole face lit up the moment she caught sight of Maria waiting for her outside the bar. Maria couldn't help but grin back. She greeted Marina with a warm 'hey, you' and a kiss pressed tentatively to her cheek.

"It's good to see you," Marina said, tucking a strand of auburn hair behind her ear. "I've been looking forward to this all week."

"So have I." Maria nodded in the direction of the bar. The muffled sounds of a sizable crowd filtered through the closed door, promising a respite from the cold, dark side street. "Shall we?"

Marina nodded excitedly and swept through the door as Maria pulled it open.

"They're playing in the basement," Marina shouted over the ruckus, taking Maria by the hand and making a beeline for the stairs in the back.

Endeared, Maria kept close behind her so she could be heard speaking close to Marina's ear. "Do you come to a lot of their shows?"

"Every chance I get! I've been a Captain Marvel fan for a few years now. It helps when you're friends with the whole band," Marina said. "I'm excited to hear their new keyboardist. They haven't really been the same since Bobbi Morse left."

"I didn't have you pegged as the groupie type," Maria teased as Marina gave their names and breezed right by the bored-looking employee at the top of the basement steps.

Marina laughed good-naturedly as she unwound her scarf. "Maybe a little, once upon a time. I don't go to concerts very often anymore, but I make an effort for Carol."

Despite the cramped, dingy bar upstairs, the basement venue was deceptively large with a full bar of its own. An array of equipment scattered the raised stage, catching the multi-colored lights at different angles. Marina steered Maria right up to the edge of the stage, easily navigating the considerable number of people milling around.

"What do you want to drink?" Maria asked, gesturing toward the bar.

"Oh, no you don't," Marina scolded. "You got drinks last time. I'll get this round."

Maria would've argued had she not looked so adorably earnest. "In that case, thanks. I just want a beer."

"Sure. Guard our spot until I get back?"

Maria stood up to her full height, crossed her arms, and scanned the crowd with her best intimidating stare. Marina laughed at the charade, but the quick glance up and down Maria's body did not go unnoticed. Marina's eyes flitted away and she headed for the bar, leaving Maria alone with her amused smirk.

Out of habit, Maria scanned the room for people she knew, but as usual her search came up empty. The room was rapidly filling. She wondered how many of these people were here to see Captain Marvel in particular versus how many of them were bar regulars lured by the promise of live music.

Soon enough, Marina reappeared and handed over a cold bottle of beer. She raised her own cup and tapped it against Maria's bottle, being careful not to slosh her drink or dislodge the lime from the rim.

"There are so many people here," Marina marveled. "Carol's gonna be thrilled."

Almost as if on cue, the house music died away along with the lights. An anticipatory murmur surged through the crowd. A moment later, Maria caught sight of Carol approaching the stage, and the room burst into cheers and applause. Apparently the majority of them were fans after all.

The energy in the room was intoxicating as the band took the stage. In front of her, Marina had bellied up to the stage and was practically humming with excitement. Maria chuckled before joining her in enthusiastic applause.

On stage, Carol slung her guitar strap over her shoulder and stepped up to the mic with all the swagger of a seasoned rock star. The rest of the band assembled behind her looked every inch the part as well, all tattoos and tight jeans and well-worn stage presence. Carol nodded over her shoulder to the woman on drums, who beat out a four count with her sticks.

Drums and bass picked up an energetic rhythm, building until the crowd recognized the song a few bars in. By the time Carol came in on guitar, she nearly had to fight to be heard over the cheers. It was an impressive start, and Carol clearly knew it. The lights flashed in her eyes as she sang, and her cocky grin lit her whole face, adding an energy all its own to the music. The band powered through their first song, building and building to a flawless abrupt ending that nearly left Maria breathless.

The crowd burst into applause, and Carol barely waited for them to settle again before switching into the same easy banter Maria knew from their training sessions.

"Hey there, folks. How're you doing tonight?" She took another beat to let the noise die down again. "Thanks for coming out; I know it's cold as balls out there."

Despite the fact that the room was packed, Carol spoke as if she was speaking to each of them individually, as if they were old friend sharing a drink at their favorite bar. She introduced the rest of the band – Jessica Drew on drums, Natasha Romanoff on bass and guitar, and the newest member of Captain Marvel: Sharon Carter on keys! – before launching seamlessly into the next song in their set.

Considering this was her first show, Sharon certainly didn't seem like a newcomer. None of the songs seemed to feature her keyboard, but she played backup flawlessly. She had a great voice, too: strong and confident and a good blend with Natasha's and Carol's. Her rapport with the audience seemed almost effortless. At one point they played a Sleater-Kinney cover, and Sharon had no trouble prompting the audience to sing along with the chorus.

Marina didn't hesitate to sing along, and while Maria was less enthusiastic, she too joined in. Marina leaned her shoulders back against Maria's chest, and it took little prompting for Maria to wrap her arms around her waist in response. She felt a little awkward at first – this was only their second date, after all – but Marina seemed content, so Maria allowed herself to relax and enjoy the concert.

Behind the drum set, Jessica was a lot of fun to watch. She had no trouble keeping a steady, controlled beat when she needed to, but it was clear that she was in her element when she could really pull out the stops. The rest of the band gave her ample opportunity to show off her stick work, much to the audience's delight.

And then there was Natasha. While the others were all grins and flashing eyes, her face only wore a small, inscrutable smirk. She was more reserved – almost untouchable – though her dark-painted eyes were sharp and attentive. She glanced back and forth between Carol and Sharon, providing steady support and rich harmonies. Her voice had a bit of a growl to it, low and powerful, belting the choruses and spitting all the love songs. This close to the stage, her bass was more sensation than sound. Each precise movement of her fingers on the strings reverberated through Maria's chest, cancelling out her heartbeat.

By the end of their set, the temperature in the basement had risen a solid 15 degrees. Carol wiped her hair out of her eyes and rested a hand on her mic. "Thank you! Thank you, you've been glorious! We've got one more for you tonight—" the crowd sent up a groan of protest, "—I know, I know, we'd stay up here all night if we could. This last song is extra special, because we're gonna let Sharon run the show. Call it our version of a hazing ritual."

As the audience cheered, Sharon adjusted her mic and flashed a grin. Satisfied, she nodded to Jessica over her shoulder. Jessica pounded out a short intro, then Sharon came in playing and singing with a thrilled smile on her face. Natasha and Carol backed her up seamlessly, keeping the focus on Sharon's upbeat vocals and masterful chords.

Natasha joined in singing a fun counterpoint to Sharon's melody. The two of them kept eye contact all the while, the chemistry palpable between them. The crowd ate it right up. By the end of the first chorus the whole room was dancing, completely endeared. They cheered appreciatively for Sharon's solo and Carol's callback response on guitar, and as the song ended the rest of the band joined in laughing and cheering with delight.

Once the band finally left the stage and the lights came back up, the energy in the room shifted like a broken trance. The murmur of voices rushed in the fill the void left by the instruments, and Maria had to shake herself over to get her limbs to function properly again.

"That was incredible!" Marina gushed. "I think that was the best they've ever sounded!"

Maria nodded in awed agreement. "I didn't know Carol could sing like that."

"Yeah, she was on fire tonight. And the new keyboardist is amazing. I can't wait to meet her." Marina took Maria's hand. "We should head upstairs, see if we can get a booth while they get done breaking down their equipment."

Maria followed where she led, albeit apprehensively. "Meeting your friends on the second date, huh?" she quipped.

Marina blanched. "Oh god, is that too much? I'm sorry, I just figured you already know Carol--"

"Hey," Maria tugged her hand, prompting her to stop and turn around. "It's okay, really."

Marina chewed her bottom lip. "Are you sure? I wouldn't mind having you all to myself if you'd prefer."

"I don't mind," Maria assured her. "Carol keeps bugging me to get out more anyway. It might be fun to be friends with rock stars."

Marina let out a relieved breath. "You'll love them, I promise."

They made their way back upstairs along with the rest of the basement crowd. The bar was by no means cool, but after the heat of all those bodies, the temperature difference felt amazing.

"Do you want another gin and tonic?" Maria asked over the commotion.

"Yes please," Marina said, distracted as she peered into the far corner of the room. "I think those are the same guys that were here when we came in. I'm gonna see if I can convince them to give up that booth."

Maria nodded and headed for the bar. She set her empty bottle down on the bar and ordered another, along with Marina's drink and a shot of whiskey. When the bartender handed over the shot, she downed it in one go, then grabbed the other two drinks and headed in Marina's general direction.

The two guys she was talking to were too far away to hear, but they looked up apprehensively as Maria approached.  Maybe she imagined it, but the one on the left seemed to size Maria up before grabbing his beer and shuffling out of the booth. His friend quickly followed suit, and Marina slid into the newly vacated seat.

Maria raised an eyebrow as she handed over Marina's drink. "What did you say to them?"

"Hmm?" Marina looked puzzled as she took a sip. "Nothing. I just asked if we could have the booth. It's not my fault you're intimidating."

Maria chuckled, inwardly pleased. "You think I'm intimidating?"

"Only a little," Marina laughed. "You look like you could bench press me."

That made Maria grin outwardly. "Hey, if it gets us a place to sit…"

"I'm certainly not complaining," Marina winked and leaned her forearms on the table between them so her knuckles brushed Maria's.

Maria swallowed the half-formed witty remark and instead slotted their fingers together, the warmth of Marina's hands a pleasant contrast to her cold, sweating beer bottle. Several contented moments passed before a brassy voice startled them apart.

"You two look like you've hit it off pretty well so far. What'd I tell you?"

"Carol!" Marina rose from the booth and enthusiastically returned Carol's proffered hug. "You were amazing!"

"I'm glad you could make it," Carol grinned, waving at Maria over Marina's shoulder. "You too, Hill. What'd you think of the show?"

Before Maria could answer, Jessica came up behind Carol and clapped an arm around her shoulders. "Come on, Danvers, that was the best show since Bobbi left, and everyone in this bar knows it." She swept her braid over her shoulder and cast Marina a furtive glance. "Hey, Marina."

"Hi, Jess." Marina pulled her into a hug just as tight as the one she'd given Carol. "Congratulations on an incredible show!"

Maria couldn't be sure, but she thought she saw Jessica's cheeks go a little pink before she stepped back, clearing her throat.

"Thanks," Jessica said with a lopsided smile. It quickly turned into a look of mild confusion as she caught sight of Maria. "Who's this?"

"Right, sorry!" said Marina. "Jess, this is Maria Hill. Maria, Jessica Drew."

"Nice to meet you." Maria extended her hand, and Jessica shook it. "Hell of a show."

"Thanks for coming." Jessica unceremoniously plopped down onto the bench opposite Maria. "How do you know Marina?"

"Carol set us up," Maria explained. She felt slightly awkward admitting it, though she couldn't tell quite why.

To her relief, Jessica laughed amicably. "I'm so sorry."

"Hey!" Carol punched Jessica's shoulder in indignation.

Jessica ignored her. "And how do you two know each other?"

"Hill is my trainer at the gym."

"Oh, right." Jessica snapped her fingers. "The drill sergeant."

"Jess…" Carol wound up for another slug on the shoulder, but Jess raised her hands in surrender.

Maria chuckled. "You're not wrong."

"Scoot," Carol prompted, then slid into the booth next to Jessica. "Where are Nat and Sharon?"

"They were right behind me. Maybe they're still getting drinks." Jessica craned her neck towards the bar. "Well, there's Sharon, at least. Sharon!"

Across the room, Sharon caught sight of Jessica flagging her down and made a beeline for the booth. She set both of the glasses she was carrying on the table with a triumphant grin. "The bartender didn't charge us for the drinks. I could get used to this."

Jessica laughed. "Welcome to pseudo-stardom."

"Come sit," Carol offered, shuffling over so Sharon could pack in the booth next to her. "Sharon, these are our friends Marina and Maria."

"Nice to meet you." Sharon nodded to both of them, but her gaze lingered on Maria. Her eyes narrowed in curiosity. "You look familiar. Do you work for Stark Industries?"

Maria blinked. "No, but a friend of mine does. I meet her for lunch sometimes."

"That explains it. I've probably signed you in a time or two." Satisfied, Sharon took a swig of her drink and leaned back against the seat.

"You know, I think you're right. Sorry, I didn't recognize you out of context." Maria said.

Sharon waved off her apology with a smile. "Don't worry about it."

"Small world, huh?" Marina said, amused.

Maria was content to sit back and listen as the four of them started to go over the highlights of the concert play-by-play. Marina's initial shyness faded quickly once her excitement took over. Sharon seemed to genuinely appreciate her praise, and pretty soon Maria could hardly tell that they'd just met, or that Sharon was a newcomer to the circle of friends. She would have felt like a fifth wheel herself, had it not been for Carol consistently asking for her input, or Marina's knee brushing up against hers under the table.

"What did I miss?" Natasha's voice was low, but it was more than enough to catch the attention of the entire table.

"Nat!" Marina was on her feet in an instant, pulling Natasha into a hug. "Great show."

Natasha disentangled herself with an appreciative half-smile. She took the drink Sharon handed her wordlessly, eyes darting to each person at the table in turn. Just like when she was onstage, her posture made her seem aloof and at ease, but the sharp look in her eyes said otherwise.

Maria found herself standing before she was even aware she'd moved. "Do you want to sit?"

"Thanks." Natasha blinked at her for a moment before actually taking her up on her offer. She seemed to stare right through Maria, and Maria met her gaze steadily even though she very much felt like she should look away.

Only after Natasha slid into the booth did Maria's mind catch up with her. She offered Marina the other seat and turned to snag an empty chair from a nearby table. She returned to find the conversation had picked up right where they'd left off.

Carol was recounting some outlandish story, much to Marina's delight. She threw her head back as she laughed, her hair bouncing around her shoulders. Maria watched her fondly, but she couldn't help notice Natasha stealing piercing glances at her. She'd avert her eyes well before Maria actually looked at her, expertly so. When Maria finally managed to catch her eye, she raised an eyebrow in challenge.

Natasha smirked with just a hint of sheepishness at having been caught. "I almost spilled your coffee last week." Her voice was flat and cryptic enough that it took Maria a moment to realize what she was talking about.

"And I held the door for you last week, too," Maria marveled as the realization crystallized.

Natasha nodded, as did Marina. "That's right! Nat was just finishing up her acoustic set when you showed up for our coffee date. Isn't that funny?"

Maria chuckled, but the way Natasha was still scrutinizing her was making her feel raw and exposed. She wet her lips, trying to regain some semblance of composure. "I'm Maria, by the way."

"Natasha." With a small nod, Natasha finally released Maria from her stare and turned her attention to Jess and Sharon across the table.

Even without the heat of Natasha's eyes on her, Maria couldn't help but continue to study her, trying to figure her out. She seemed fully present in the conversation – teasing Jess, praising Sharon, even nudging Marina and rolling her eyes – but the air of aloofness never quite left her. Even though she was only an arm's length away, she seemed untouchable, like Maria's hand would pass right through her if she dared reach out. Maria wondered, briefly, if the space Natasha took up would feel cool like mist or hot like steam.

Beside her, Marina set a hand on Maria's knee. "Are you okay?" she asked, voice only loud enough for Maria to hear. "You look a little uncomfortable."

Maria shook her head. "I'm fine."

"Natasha's a little intense, but she'll warm up to you," Marina said, calling Maria's bluff.

"I don't mind," Maria assured her.

Marina beamed and gave Maria's knee a squeeze before taking her hand back.

The next hour or so was nearly as chaotic and energetic as the concert had been. It seemed that everyone in the bar wanted to come congratulate Captain Marvel on their performance. Maria had never seen Carol so thrilled, so at her incontrovertible best. She knew an impressive number of their fans by name, too, though Maria had known her long enough that it came as no surprise.

Once the majority of the concert crowd dwindled and the bar returned to its normal level of chaos, and the conversation around the table hit its stride. Maria talked with Sharon about the self-defense classes she occasionally offered at SHIELD. As it turned out, Sharon's aunt was the police chief that consulted for her while she was developing the class. Natasha, too, knew a thing or two about martial arts, but she was less willing to talk about it. Sharon judiciously changed the topic. The hand she settled on Natasha's thigh did not go unnoticed, nor did the fact that Natasha let her keep it there.

As the night wore on, both Jessica and Carol wandered away from the table, leaving Maria and Marina sitting across from Natasha and Sharon. Marina subtly got Maria's attention and gestured to the bar where a woman was chatting animatedly with Jessica. "Watch this," Marina murmured, a hint of mischief in her eyes.

The woman seemed friendly enough, and she was certainly attractive, but as she moved closer, Jessica leaned a little farther away.

Maria turned back to Marina. "What am I supposed to be watching?"

"Just keep watching," Marina advised.

Sure enough, Carol stepped in. The woman only looked taken aback for a moment before Carol's smile and easy banter won her over. Jessica politely excused herself and headed back over to the table.

Maria raised an eyebrow. "What exactly just happened?"

"Symbiosis," Jessica smirked.

"Really? It looked like Carol just stole your—"

"Picking up people in bars isn't really my thing," Jessica shrugged, "but it's definitely Carol's thing. Like I said: symbiosis."

Maria shook her head, amazed. "Carol…"

Jessica grinned. "Gotta love her."

It wasn't long before Carol made her way back over to the table to collect her things. "I'm gonna head out," she announced with a wink.

"Me too. Looks like I'll have the apartment to myself for a while," Jessica teased, and Carol laughed, nodding in agreement.

Natasha also got to her feet, and Sharon was right behind her. "That's our cue, too."

"We're headed to Brooklyn, if anyone else wants to split a cab," Natasha offered. Her eyes met Maria's with that same enigmatic stare.

Maria shook her head. "We're headed uptown."

"Alright." Natasha hefted her bag onto her should her, nodded, and headed for the door.

Sharon waved and started after her. "Have a good night."

"Bye, you two," Marina called after them, then turned to Maria with a smile. "I'm not often the last one to leave the bar."

"Neither am I," Maria chuckled. "Do you want another drink?"

Marina gave a regretful shake of her head. "Maybe another time? It's getting late."

"Another time, then," Maria agreed.

The two of them got up from the booth and headed back out into the biting night air. As they headed for the subway, Marina slipped her hand into Maria's.

"Thanks for coming with me tonight," she said. "I hope my friends weren't too much company for a second date."

Maria shook her head again. "I had a great time, I promise. We should hang out with them again sometime."

Maria beamed up at her. "I told you you'd love them."


	9. Chapter 9

**Five months later.  
Manhattan.**

 

"Wait, here it is. I found it," Jessica announced, whapping Carol on the shoulder excitedly.

The others looked up from their drinks in eager anticipation.

Jessica cleared her throat dramatically and began to read. "'Marvelous: With the summer concert season about to heat up, you won't want to miss New York's own Captain Marvel. This all-girl--' ugh." Jessica rolled her eyes. " 'This all-girl indie pop/rock group has been on the scene for a few years, but never have they sounded so good. In the months since the band added newcomer Sharon Carter, Captain Marvel has seen a spike in popularity. Their show at Rockwood Music Hall last Saturday sold out in a matter of hours.

" 'The band features energetic fan favorite Carol Danvers (guitar, vocals); Natasha Romanoff, with her deadly bass and beyond sexy vocals; Sharon Carter's refreshing keys and harmonies; and of course drummer Jessica Drew, whose show-stopping sticks give her the illusion of having more arms than two, like some sort of spider-woman.

" 'Captain Marvel will return to Rockwood Music Hall on June 6th, along with local favorite The Howling Commandos. Don't miss it!'" Jessica finished with a flourish.

Carol snatched the phone out of her hands and skimmed the article herself, grin widening by the moment. "Not bad!"

Sharon chuckled and elbowed Jessica. "Yeah, but 'spider-woman'?" She made a face.

"Hey, I'll take it," Jessica laughed. "Usually they compare me to Kali, and that's just kinda racist. Besides, we've got a theme going: Spider-Woman and the Black Wid--"

"Jess." Carol swatted her in warning.

Jessica cringed and changed her tone immediately. "Are we not laughing about that yet? Sorry, Nat."

Across the table, Natasha gave a small shrug and returned to staring at her glass.

"What?" Sharon asked, perplexed.

Natasha's expression softened a little around the edges. "Don't worry about it."

Sharon knew better than to push the issue. She sipped her drink, then said, "The Commandos show should be big, huh?"

Carol nodded enthusiastically, also relieved for the change of topic. "Should be. We're on Stage 3, and those guys always draw a crowd."

"Our last show with them was a lot of fun," Jess chimed in. "They've gotten so much better than the shitty garage band they were in college."

"You went to college with them, too?" Sharon asked, impressed.

Natasha nodded. "They weren't that bad."

"You only say that because you used to sing for them from time to time," Jessica teased.  

"Maybe," Natasha conceded, "but they're really good these days. They put on a hell of a show."

"And we'll give them a run for their money," said Carol as she raised her seltzer glass.

"Hell yeah!" Jessica tapped Carol's glass with her own, and Natasha and Sharon followed suit.

"On that note," Carol said, downing the last of her drink, "I've gotta call it a night. Work in the morning."

Jessica groaned and got to her feet too. "I can't wait for this school year to be over. Six-year-olds are exhausting."

Carol nodded in commiseration. "Goodnight, you two."

"Night." Sharon waved as Carol and Jess made their exit, then turned to Natasha. "Want another drink?"

"Maybe another time." Natasha's voice was quiet and her eyes far away.

"Yeah, okay. It's getting late," Sharon agreed. She studied Natasha carefully as they both gathered their things and left the bar.

The air outside was fresh and cool with a hint of approaching summer around the edges. It was a beautiful night, the kind that would normally make Sharon want to take the long way home. Beside her, though, Natasha's hands were stuffed into her pockets and her head was down as she headed straight for the subway entrance down the block.

They made it halfway there before Sharon's concern got the better of her. "Are you okay?"

"Don't worry about it," Natasha repeated. She met Sharon's eyes intently, apologizing for having drifted.

"Was it whatever Jess said that's bothering you? You know you can talk to me if you want to." Sharon couldn't help but frown to be dismissed like that. "You can trust me."

Natasha abruptly stopped walking and took Sharon's hands in hers. Her grip was firm and earnest. "I know. I'm sorry. It's just...." Natasha bit her lip, weighing her words. "A few years ago, I was in a bad relationship that ended terribly. I don't really like to talk about it. It's not something I want to dwell on any more than I have to, okay?"

"Okay." Sharon stroked her thumbs over Natasha's reassuringly. She was still curious, of course, but if it bothered her that much, she'd let Natasha keep all her foreboding secrets until she was ready to share them.

Natasha offered her a grateful half-smile. "Thank you for being patient with me."

Sharon met Natasha's gaze steadily, even though she was at a loss for words. Natasha's expression was open, honest in that way that made Sharon dare to hope she'd one day find her way past Natasha's walls.

"I mean it," Natasha continued. "You've been such a good friend to me. I could see us being more than that, but I'm just not ready. I might never be…" she trailed off and looked away.

Sharon's chest ached to see the pain written on Natasha's face, and before she could think better of it, she wrapped her arms around Natasha and pulled her close. To her amazement, Natasha allowed herself to be held. She even let her head fall onto Sharon's shoulder as she took a few steadying breaths.

They stood like that for a long time. The occasional passer-by would give them an odd look, but Sharon ignored them.

When Natasha was finally ready to pull away, Sharon released her hold on her gently. Natasha stayed close.

"You okay?" Sharon asked softly.

Natasha nodded.

"Thank you," said Sharon, ducking her head to catch Natasha's eye.

"What for?" Natasha raised an eyebrow.

Sharon gave a small shrug. "For trusting me?"

Natasha said nothing, only took her hand again with a small smile. They continued on, hand in hand, down the street.


	10. Chapter 10

Saturday morning was beautiful: sunny and breezy and truly warm for the first time since the summer before. Maria inhaled deeply, savoring the scent of a city about to come back to life. Balancing both coffees in one hand, she hit the buzzer for Marina's apartment. A few seconds later the door unlatched with a grating buzz, and she pushed her way into the building.

By the time she made it to the 3rd floor landing, Kit was already waiting to greet her.

"Hi, Maria!"

Maria balanced the coffees again so she could ruffle Kit's hair. "Hey, Trouble. You ready to go?"

Kit nodded, grinning ear to ear. "Mom's brushing her teeth. She said she'll be right out."

"Alright." Maria propped a hip on the counter and took a tentative sip from her cup. It was still a little too hot to drink. Kit giggled when she flinched and sucked in a breath to cool the burn. Maria stuck her tongue out at her, and she giggled even harder.

"Kit, are you giving Maria a hard time?" Marina teased, rounding the corner into the kitchen.

"Just a little," Kit admitted with a crooked grin.

"Hey, you." Marina gave Maria a peck on the lips in greeting. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

"I only just got here," Maria said, presenting Marina with the second coffee cup. "Careful, it's still hot."

Marina took the cup eagerly. "You're a saint."

Maria shrugged off her praise with a modest half-smile. "Are you ready to go?"

"Mm hmm," Marina nodded, gingerly sipping her coffee and picking up her purse and keys from the counter. "Kit, did you put sunscreen on your face like I asked you to?"

"Yes," Kit mumbled, grimacing.

Marina only smirked at her as she steered her out of the apartment by the shoulders. "You'll thank me later when you aren't sunburned. Let's go."

It was only two short blocks to the nearest park, but Kit looked up at Maria hopefully. "Can I ride on your shoulders again?"

"Sure, kid. Come here." Maria grabbed her under the arms and hoisted her up onto her shoulders with hardly any effort.

Marina shaded her eyes with her hand and squinted facetiously up at her daughter. "How's the view up there?"

"Great," Kit called down. "I can see the river from here!"

The entire neighborhood must've had the same idea that morning; almost every bench was occupied, as were most of the rocks and grassy areas. Kit didn't seem to mind. She made a beeline for the biggest rock and began to scramble up the side of it. Maria managed to commandeer a bench, and Marina settled next to her, their legs brushing together.

For a while, they were both content to sip their coffee and enjoy the exquisite weather while Kit played. When occasionally the breeze kicked up, Marina leaned a little closer against Maria's shoulder.

At one point Marina asked about work, and she laughed as Maria recounted a particularly cringe-worthy story about a client who insisted he knew what he was doing, only to end up overturning the entire rack of free weights. They continued to chat aimlessly until long after their coffee cups were empty. Marina's warm, familiar weight against Maria's shoulder was comfortable, and Maria smiled to herself as they twined their fingers together.

It seemed like no time at all when Kit came running back over, a friend in tow.

"Mom, can I go to Oscar's house for lunch?"

Marina smiled warmly. "Did Oscar's dad say it was okay?"

Kit and Oscar both nodded enthusiastically.

"If that's the case, then I don't see why not." The kids cheered, and Marina got to her feet. "I'll be right back, babe."

"I'll be here," said Maria.

No sooner had Marina and the kids headed off to go talk logistics with Oscar's father than the old woman on the next bench over set aside her knitting and turned to Maria.

"You have such a beautiful family."

"Oh, we're not…" Maria started, but she faltered. The woman seemed so earnest and appreciative that Maria didn't have to heart to correct her. The thought brought a flutter to the pit of her stomach, surprising but not entirely unpleasant. "Thank you."

The woman nodded. "How old is she?"

"She's eight." There was something thrilling about the charade. Thrilling, but still discomfiting.

"Ah," the woman smiled, completely oblivious. "I have a grandson who's not too much older. It's nice to see young families spending time together outdoors. Enjoy your day, dear."

With that, she gathered her bag and got to her feet. Maria watched her a she went, the odd feeling in her stomach lingering until well after the woman left the park gates.

Luckily she didn't have time to over-analyze it before Marina made her way back over.

"Alright, Ramón said he's happy to keep an eye on the kids this afternoon, and he'll walk Kit home around five o'clock," Marina announced. "Looks like we've got some time to ourselves. Are you hungry?"

"Yeah, I could eat." Maria was surprised to find herself hungry all of a sudden.

"Me too. I've got leftover Italian from the other night, unless you'd rather go out?"

"No, Italian sounds good to me." Maria never minded paying for meals, but she knew Marina worried about money, and they'd already gotten takeout once that week.

As they made their way back towards Marina's apartment, Marina nudged Maria's hip gently with her own. "Everything alright? You seem quiet."

"I'm fine," Maria assured her. "It's just nice being outside."

Marina hummed happily in agreement, apparently content with Maria's answer. "It's almost a shame to go back inside."

"We could make sandwiches and go back to the park," Maria suggested.

Marina rummaged in her bag for her keys. "Nah, I've got my heart set on the rest of that rigatoni. You can help me open all the windows, though, let some air in."

"Deal."

A quick peek in the mailbox and a few flights of stairs later, Maria set about doing just that while Marina fished the leftovers out of the fridge.

The fresh air pouring in through the open windows shook the last remnants of winter staleness out of the apartment. The view from the table wasn't any more exciting than the building across the street, but the sun and the warmth made it extra appealing compared to the other times they'd shared a meal there.

The last of the pasta and limp day-old salad vanished quickly amidst casual conversation about nothing in particular. Maria liked days like this. It was easy to talk to Marina like this. She asked all the right questions and listened to the answers as if all Maria's stories were as important to her as they were to Maria herself. Not that Maria had told her all of them. Some habits die hard. Still, she could see herself getting there someday, with Marina. The thought sank to the pit of her stomach and settled there, sending an odd warmth through Maria's body.

Midway through clearing their dishes, Marina set a hand on Maria's shoulder, a moment of closeness as she moved through the small space. Maria brushed a kiss to her knuckles. Marina stilled her hand.

Maria cast a glance up at her, over her shoulder. A look of curiosity shone in Marina's eyes, but she didn't voice whatever question was forming behind them. When Maria didn't say anything, Marina let her fingers card through the short hair at the nape of Maria's neck before she returned to the kitchen.

Grabbing the last of the lunch things on the table, Maria rose and followed her. She set the empty glasses in the sink and turned to find Marina standing close to her in the tiny kitchen. Marina kissed her, or maybe she kissed Marina. It was sometimes hard to tell which of them initiated the almost absent-minded brush of lips in quiet moments like those.

The second kiss, though, was most certainly Maria's. It stopped Marina in her tracks. Maria's hands claimed Marina's waist as their lips parted, and Marina's hands drifted, mesmerized, to Maria's face.

When Marina finally pulled away, her eyes were a little hazy. Her breath left her in a rush as Maria pressed kisses to the corner of her mouth, her cheek, her jaw.

"Where did this come from?" Marina breathed.

Maria pulled away, blinking her eyes back into focus. "I'm sorry, I know we agreed to take things slow—"

Marina chuckled warmly. "Maria, it's been what-- four, five months? I think you've been patient more than long enough." She kissed Maria again, as if to prove her point.

When Maria tried to deepen the kiss, however, Marina stopped her with a hand to her chest. "This isn't happening in my kitchen, though," she explained gently, taking Maria's hands. "Come to bed."

Maria needed little prompting to follow her into the bedroom. The sureness of Marina's grip on her hand was surprisingly enticing, so much so that she was a little disappointed when Marina let go in favor of dropping the blinds. The room was jarringly dark with the windows covered, but a moment later Marina adjusted the slats so the breeze and warm sunlight could stream through.

Maria lingered in the doorway, watching her. She was finally able to move her feet once Marina settled on the edge of the bed and extended her hand. Maria crossed the room and took it, perching on the bed next to her.

Marina reached out to cup her face, thumb brushing along her cheekbone. She met Maria's eyes steadily, open and patient to see what Maria would do.  When Maria kissed her again, she didn't hesitate to meet her. Their lips met again and again, warmth building slowly and steadily. Maria grazed her teeth over Marina's bottom lip. The soft gasp she received in return spurred her on. She repositioned herself so she could guide Marina back against the mattress and stretch out beside her. Marina shifted closer, seeking more contact, which Maria was more than happy to give her.

They established a good rhythm together, easy and comfortable. Maria's hands roamed gently over Marina's body as they kissed, tracing each familiar curve. Marina kissed her deeply, threading her fingers through her hair, the soft tug sending sparks along Maria's spine. Even better was the blush that was starting to spread from Marina's cheeks down across the top of her chest, disappearing below her collar.

Previously, that had been Maria's cue to put on the brakes a little. This time, though, as Maria kissed her way along Marina's throat, Marina let go of Maria's hair in favor of tugging at the hem of her shirt. Maria sat back on her heels, tugged the shirt off over her head, and shrugged out of her bra. Her movements were bent on efficiency rather than seduction, but Marina didn't seem to mind the haste.

Her eyes swept over Maria's bare torso with awed appreciation, and Maria flushed under her quickly-darkening gaze. Almost of their own accord, Marina's hands reached out to trace the same path her eyes had, nails skating down her arms and swirling circles over her abs. Marina's obvious fascination with her body tended to go to Maria's head on a normal day, but now it practically had her panting.

When she reached for the top few buttons of Marina's shirt, Marina averted her eyes, chewing her lip.

Maria's hands stilled. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," Marina said unconvincingly.

Maria only waited for her to elaborate.

"It's just… how can I compete with this?" Marina pressed the warm flat of her palm to Maria's chest. "You're practically carved out of marble, and I'm…" She trailed off, eyes downcast.

Maria immediately pulled her into her arms and kissed her temple. "Hey, now. We've talked about this. You know I spend all day every day at the gym. I have to; it's my job. No one wants an out-of-shape personal trainer."

"I know," Marina murmured. "I'm sorry, I just can't help being self-conscious."

"It's okay. It's just me." Maria stroked her hair reassuringly.

Marina gave a small, rueful smile. "I've pretty thoroughly ruined the mood, haven't I?"

"Hardly," Maria chuckled warmly, "but we can stop if you want to."

"No," said Marina without hesitation. "No, I don't want to stop."

"Okay, then." With an affectionate smile, Maria captured her lips in a slow kiss.

Sure enough, Marina's shyness melted away as one by one Maria undid the buttons of her shirt and pressed kisses in their place. Her hands roamed over every inch of newly exposed skin, taking her time. Her breasts fit perfectly into Maria's cupped hands, and she arched her back as Maria's thumbs circled her nipples. The soft noises she made as Maria trailed kisses down her chest urged her on.

Maria hooked her fingers in the waistband of her pants and tugged. Marina caught her lower lip between her teeth again, but she lifted her hips off the bed to help Maria slide them off anyway. Maria let her gaze drift down her body, taking in the soft swell of her belly and the faded scar that crossed it. Her fingertips dug gently into her hips, barely brushing the edge of the small tattoo she knew Marina liked to pretend wasn't actually there. She shifted her way lower.

"God, you're beautiful," Maria breathed.

The delighted smile that lit Marina's face was exactly the encouragement Maria needed. She lowered her head and lost herself between her thighs with an eagerness that made Marina laugh affectionately in between gasps.

Later – much later, when Marina was finally able to catch her breath – she cupped Maria's cheek again and kissed her so softly she ached with it.

"You're incredible," Marina sighed. "What did I do to deserve—shit, how is it quarter of five _already_?"

Maria shot a startled glare at the clock on the bedside table and groaned.

Marina's brow furrowed. "I'm sorry we won't have time to—"

Maria shook her head dismissively, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Don't worry about me. I'm content."

Marina looked like she was about to protest, but Maria snaked an arm around her waist and kissed her again. "Marina, I'm fine."

"Okay," said Marina, relaxing a little. "Next time?"

Maria nodded. "Next time."

Marina kissed her again, then reluctantly set about gathering her clothes up off the floor.

Maria followed suit, the lingering heat in her body mellowing into a warm glow. As she watched Marina get dressed again, she was struck with a tightness in her chest not unlike the one she'd felt earlier that morning. She didn't have time to dwell on it, though. Kit was due back soon, and she needed to get dressed and freshened up before then.


	11. Chapter 11

"You're really freaking out about this, aren't you?" Pepper cradled her mug in her hands and pursed her lips.

"No…" Across the café table from her, Maria frowned defensively. Her shoulders slumped a moment later. "I don't know. 'Freaking out' is maybe a little harsh."

"You're allowed to be freaked out. Being mistaken for a family is a big deal," Pepper pointed out.

"It's not really the being mistaken for a family part that was weird." Maria fidgeted with the handle of her mug. "It's the fact that I didn't correct her."

Pepper blinked in surprise, then leaned her elbows on the table, studying Maria intently. Maria resisted the urge to cower; it really was uncanny how well Pepper could read her, and she wasn't quite sure she wanted to know what Pepper was getting out of this whole situation.

"Maria, are you thinking about settling down with Marina?"

Maria's stomach gave a weak lurch. Leave it to Pepper to so shrewdly put words to something she'd only barely started to wrap her head around herself.

"I'm thinking about thinking about it." Her admission was quiet, but it sank like a weight on the table between them.

Pepper nodded pensively. "That's a big step."

"You're telling me," Maria snorted. It was a very big step, and Maria would be lying if she said she wasn't scared shitless by the idea.

"What's worrying you?" Pepper asked. Her voice was neutral, and Maria was grateful for that.

"I don't know," Maria mused. "Marina is wonderful. She's easy to talk to and spend time with. I get along with her friends. Kit's great."

"But?" Pepper prompted.

Maria blinked at her, nonplussed. "I wasn't going to say 'but'."

Pepper sipped her coffee and cocked an eloquent eyebrow.

Maria heaved a sigh. "But… I don't know. If I was sure she was 'the one' or whatever, I wouldn't be freaked out, right? I don't even think I believe in anyone being 'the one'."

Once she'd started, Maria suddenly found herself unable to stop. "Marina and I are happy together. Maybe we don't have fiery passion or earth-shattering romance, but I'm not convinced any of that shit is real anyway. I've certainly never found anything like it, and at the rate I've been going, I'm not likely to. Marina's a wonderful woman. We're happy. We get along well. What else does anyone need, anyway?"

"So why are you so freaked out by the idea of building a life with her?"

"I don't know," Maria said. She stared into her coffee, by then having gone cold. "I don't know."

In lieu of a response, Pepper flagged down a server for their check and had him top off both of their mugs while he was at it. As usual, Pepper swatted Maria's hands away from the check. She tucked her own card into the top of the little black folder and propped it on the edge of the table. Once that was taken care of, she took a cautious sip of coffee and leaned back in her chair. Maria followed suit, trying to release some of the tension from her neck and shoulders as she did so.

"Well, you don't have to figure it out right now, do you?" Pepper mused. "Has Marina been pressuring you to propose or anything like that?"

"God, no." Maria shook her head vehemently. "We agreed to take it slow. Yesterday was the first time we'd even had sex."

"Yes, you mentioned that," Pepper laughed. "College Sophomore Maria would have combusted by now."

Maria chuckled despite herself. "Luckily my libido's mellowed out a bit since sophomore year."

"Thank goodness for that."

Maria resisted the urge to kick Pepper under the table. "Hey, College Sophomore Pepper didn't seem to mind."

"You have a point. There are worse ways to spend Saturday afternoons than being gone down on."

The server who had come to retrieve Pepper's credit card went scarlet and beat a hasty retreat. It was all either of them could do not to burst out laughing at the poor kid.

Maria heaved a wistful sigh. "Too bad you prefer men. Otherwise I might not be in this situation at all."

Pepper smirked. "What can I say? The heart wants what the heart wants. Besides, if you and I were still dating each other, who would we bitch to over brunch?"

Maria shrugged, conceding her point. "Speaking of which, I'm sorry I've hogged all the brunch bitching. How's the hunt for a new assistant going?"

Pepper rolled her eyes but mercifully went along with the change of topic. "Slowly. Luckily it's less work than holding my old assistant's hand all the time. I'm so glad I fired him."

"Well that's good, at least." Maria's head shot up as an idea occurred to her. "In the meantime, how would you feel about mentoring a high school student? I've got a client who's looking to strengthen her college applications. I don't think she has any office experience, but she's competent and learns quickly."

"I'll think about it. She can't possibly be worse than _Kyle_." Pepper rolled the name around her tongue with such unrestrained derision that Maria couldn't help but laugh.

The server took the opportunity to return with Pepper's card and receipt. She tucked both into her wallet and gathered up her purse and jacket reluctantly.

"Anyway, I've got to head back downtown."

Maria got to her feet as well. "Going to work?"

Pepper nodded.

"Ugh. Lunch on Wednesday?"

Pepper grimaced. "Not sure I can. My week's a mess. I'll text you?"

Maria paused midway through shuffling into her jacket. "You're still coming to the show on Saturday, right?"

Pepper nodded again, more enthusiastically this time. "It's on my calendar."

"Good. I'll see you then." Maria pushed her way through the café door and held it open for Pepper.

"I wouldn't miss it." Pepper gave her a brief parting hug before turning on her heel and flagging down an oncoming cab. Once it came to a stop, she pulled the door open and looked back at Maria over her shoulder. "And Hill? Try not to drive yourself too crazy between now and then, okay? "

Maria started to protest, but Pepper cut her off.

"Just... see what happens. Things have a way of working themselves out if you let them."

With that, Pepper slid into the backseat and pulled the door shut behind her. The cab pulled away from the curb, leaving Maria with a lot to think about on her walk home.


End file.
